The Five Question Challenge with Tan

Tan traveled 9,000 miles to chase his musical dream and “A Summer to Remember” is his first album. (Album cover property of Amanda Bjorn)

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

Rising vocalist Tan is the latest artist to tackle The Five Question Challenge!

Born in Penang, Malaysia, Tan began his musical journey by appearing on the first season of Astro Kid’s Talent Quest (the country’s equivalent of Star Search). With stars in his eyes and a huge leap of faith, he traveled nearly 9,000 miles from his home to Los Angeles, California to attend the College of Contemporary Music at Hollywood’s Musicians Institute.

Recently, Tan released his debut EP: A Summer to Remember. Several of his tracks including “Tonight” and “Perfect Try” placed on Malaysia’s iTunes Top 200 Chart, while his hit: “If I Could I Would” debuted at number 61. In addition, he has caught the attention of multiple media outlets including The Celebrity Café, New Music Weekly and Artist on Demand.

Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in music?

Tan: When I was a kid, my mom would always sign me up for singing competitions and that was a big part of my childhood. Things got more serious when I started writing songs with my guitar during high school and joined Berklee College of Music online program to learn more about songwriting and guitar. That’s when I knew music is exactly what I needed for my career.

JE: Could you please describe your songwriting process to my readers?

T: Songwriting is a very interesting process and it’s the most stimulating thing to do. I personally write with my guitar, because it just works better for me better than piano (Laughs)Sometimes, I will have the melodies before the lyrics or the other way round. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter either way as long as it seems natural.

JE: What were some of the challenges that you faced while you recorded your debut EP? How did you overcome them?

T: One of the challenges that I faced while recording my debut EP: A Summer to Remember was having a sore throat the night before going into the studio to record the song “Tonight”. I did everything I could (Ginger-honey tea and a good rest) to make sure that my voice will be in a better shape the next day and luckily it did!

JE: How has your career benefited from social media?

T: I think social media is very powerful and useful. As an artist, it is the perfect tool for me to update, connect and share with fans from anywhere anytime. It is mind-blowing how an artist from 10 years ago did not have this advantage and that is why I will never take it for granted.

JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring musicians who want a music career, what advice would you share with them?

T: The music industry is changing every single day so I feel that it’s our responsibility as an artist to educate ourselves and to understand what’s happening behind the business. It can get a little challenging at first but you just need the knowledge, determination and persistence.